Combination lid supporting brace and latching device



y 1, 1951 J. CALLING 2,551,415

COMBINATION LID SUPPORTING BRACE AND LATCHING DEVICE Filed Oct. l6, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet l J. CALLING May 1, 1951 COMBINATION LID SUPPORTING BRACE AND LATCHING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 16, 1948 Calla a. D

Jo/uz POW. H y

J. CALLING May 1, 1951 COMBINATION LID SUPPORTING BRACE AND LATCHING DEVICE Filed Oct. 16, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 L1 44a. 35/ Q12 g Patented May 1, 1951 COMBINATION LID SUPPORTING BRACE AND LATCHING DEVICE John Calling, Evansville, Ind., assignor to Inter national Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application October 16, 1948 Serial No. 54,901

6 Claims. (01. 217-430) This invention relates to a combination lid supporting brace and latching device that is particularly suitable for limiting the distance to which a lid or cover may be raised in a topopening type chest or cabinet, and for providing a supporting means that securely holds such lid or cover in a raised or opened position.

In devices of this character it is, of course, highly essential that the mechanism be simple and inexpensive to fabricate, and that it be substantially automatic in operation. It should be automatic in that as the lid or cover is raised to the desired elevation means operate to securely retain and support the lid in such elevated position without additional manual assistance until the closure thereof is desired; thus leaving the hands of the user free for use in placing articles into, or removing articles from, the interior of the opened chest or cabinet.

It is also very essential that such device be safe, stable and dependable in operation and not subject to release as a result of slight unintentional disturbances of the lid; otherwise serious injury might result to anyone in the act of placing or removing articles at the time such device accidentally operated to release and drop the lid.

Heretofore many of the devices adapted for this purpose employed spring-like mechanisms to retain a supporting arm brace in position, while others provided pivotal dogs or cams that could be rotated into a locking position for holding the lid in an opened or raised position. In these devices the locking elements were frequently unreliable in operation and unstable because of their susceptibility to operate and release the lid as a result of accidental disturbances. Furthermore, many such devices were not entirely automatic in operation because they required manual setting and release of the looking or holding elements. As a consequence, when the user of cabinets or the like, equipped with such devices, has only one free hand or arm with which to open the lid, the problem of subsequently looking it in its opened position is' one that requires unusual dexterity and skill. The present invention is directed to the provision of a device that overcomes the foregoing objections and additionally envisages the provision of a simple, inexpensive and dependable latching device that is particularly suitable for use with cabinets or chests of the top-opening variety when the lid or cover thereofis to be opened to any angle less than 90. Although the invention, as illustrated, is shown as applied to a refrigerated-type chest, it will be readily under;

stood that it is equally adaptable to any type of cabinet or chest having a top-opening lid or cover which opens to any angle less than thus, the invention should not be limited'to the specific application described and illustrated herein.

It is a principal object of this invention, therefore, to provide a combination latching device and supporting brace for cabinet or chest lids and covers which operates to limit the distance such lids or covers may be raised, and which additionally automatically operates to firmly hold the lid or cover in raised elevation until manually released.

Another object is to provide a latching device associated with the lid and one wall of a cabinet; or the like, which automatically operates through adapted to slide within a slotted and recessed guide member in such a manner that a pin, secured to one end of a supporting arm brace, may drop into a channel, provided by the recesses when registered or in alinement, and thus fixedly secure the position of said arm brace in a raised elevation.

A still further object is to provide alatching' device having a unique sliding bracket member,

cooperating with a guide and a. supporting arm,

ing device, which, after being locked in position,

may be disengaged by simply raising the cabinet lid a short distance before said lid is lowered to a full .closure position. I

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent as the disclosure is more fully made in the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, and as illustrated in the accompanying sheets and drawings in which:

Fig. 1 shows a portion of the wall and lid of a refrigeratedcabinet to which the present invention has been applied. In this illustration the lid is shown locked in a'raised elevation.

Fig. 2 shows the relationship of thecomponent 3 parts of the invention when the cabinet lid is in a partially or completely closed position.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the sliding bracket member which cooperates in looking the supporting arm in the stationary guide member.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the sliding bracket member.

Fig. 5 .is a top elevation of the sliding bracket member.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail of the invention and shows the perspective relationship of the parts thereof when the supporting arm is in :a .raised elevation and the sliding bracket is in its rearmost position. a

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the stationary guide member. 7

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of said stationary guide member.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged scale section taken on line 9-9 of Fig. 2.

.Fig. :10 is an enlarged :scale section taken on line .|0.|0 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 11 shows a refrigerated cabinet to which a modified form of the present invention has been applied. In this illustration the lid is shown locked in a raised elevation corresponding to that shown in Figure 1.

Fig. 12 shows therelationship of the component parts of a modified form of the invention when the cabinet lid is in a partially or completely closed position.

Fig. 13 is aside elevation of a modification of the sliding bracket member which cooperates in looking the supporting arm in the stationary guide member.

Fig. 1.4 is .an end elevation of the modified sliding bracket member.

Fig. 15 is atop elevation of the modified sliding bracket member.

In the drawings, a conventional refrigerated chest, indicated by the numeral 10, is shown in part as comprising a rear wall H, a side wall I2, and a lidor cover l3 hingedly-affixed thereto. As theinvention is applicable to any chest or cabinet having a top-opening lidor'cover further details of the chestconstruction are believed unnecessary for purposes of pointing out the specific part of the present invention.

Mounted, by any suitable securing means, on

the inside surface of the lid I3 is a bracket l4,

to which is pivotally afiixed a rigid supporting arm or brace l5. The opposite end of said arm I5 is provided with a pin-like member |6 fixedly positioned therein by any suitable means, such, for instance, as the rolled-over head I! on a reduced end section I8 of said pin member. The opposite end of said pin member is provided with an enlarged button-like flange l9, the purpose of which will become apparent as the description proceeds.

In one embodiment of the invention, a rigid stationary guide member is provided with a longitudinal opening 2|, a recess 22, and a reduced longitudinal opening 23 that is continuous with the lower edge and extends from one end of said opening 2|. In this preferred embodiment of the invention the guide member 28 has been shown as a separate rigid member afiixed to the inside surface of the side wall |2 by any suitable means that will permit its being spaced a short distance out from said wall, but, since such member may likewise be formed as 'in integral portion of said wall it should be understood that the arrangement shown is only illustrative and not limiting. Likewise the illustration of a re u e opening 23, at one end of the longitudinal opening 2|, is only an illustration of a preferred form of the slot in this guide member and the elimination of this reduced portion, and the extension of the slot 2| for the full distance in said guide member, would in no way effect the gist of the inven- 'tion.

A sliding bracket member 24, adapted for slidable movement longitudinally in the opening 2|, in guide member 20, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, and fashioned in channel-shape to resemble an inverted L with one long and one short side connected together by transverse portions, has arecess 25 in the long leg 26 thereof, and a pair of upstanding ears 2'! and 28 disposed, respectively, proximate one end of the recess 25 and proximate one end of said member 24. It will be noted, by reference to Figs. 3 and 5, that the short leg .of .theslide member 24 is not continuous from one end of the member to the other, but, rather, comprises two sections, represented by the numerals 39 and Si, which are spaced apart a distance substantially equivalent to the longitudinal dimension of the recess 25 in said member, and are connected to the long leg 25 by transverse portions 38a and 31a, respectively.

An inclined plane or ramp surface 29, on the upper transverse portion of the member 24, may be further provided for the purpose of facilitating the climbing .of the pin member 5 into the transverse portion of the bracket 24 and into contact with the ear 23 thereof. Although, if desired, this ramp may be eliminated and the transverse portion .3 la extended to the vertical edge of the re cess 25, it is preferred that it be fashioned substantial-lyas indicated in order that the pin mem-- ber is may more easily slide over the recess 2 along the lower edge of the slot 2| and onto the raised transverse portion 3 |a of said bracket prior to contacting the upstanding ear 28. Figs. 3, 4; and 5 show substantially full-scale views of the sliding bracket 24 and serve to best illustrate the details of this unique member.

In assembly the preferred embodiment of the present invention contemplates fixedly securing the stationary guide member 20 to the inside of the cabinet wall l2, at a location adjacent the top marginal edge of said wall, then positioning the sliding bracket member 24 therein. As indicated, in Figs. 9 and 10, the sliding bracket 24 is positioned in the longitudinal opening 2| and straddles the lower portion of the guide member 20 so that the short legs 30 and 3| abut one side while the long leg 26 abuts the opposite side of said guide. With the guide and slide members so placed the pin i6 is then positioned in the opening 2|, and disposed between the upstanding ears 2'! and 28 of the slide member 24. Since the enlarged button-like fiange IS, on one end of the pin |6, is larger in diameter than the vertical dimension of the opening 2 in the guide 20, a slight tilting will be necessary to permit passage of this flange through said opening. This may be further facilitated by first aligning or registering the recesses 25 and 22 in the slide and guide members. Next the bracket M, to which is pivotally secured the supporting arm I5, is affixed to the inside of the lid at a point which will, of course, be determined by the length of said arm and by the distance that the lid is to be elevated or opened.

In the operation of this invention, as the chest lid I3 is raised or elevated the supporting arm I5, acting through its afiixed pin member l6, engages the upstanding ear 21, of the slide memof at the bottom of the recesses.

5. ber 24, and slides said member rearwardly along the longitudinal opening 2| in the guide 20, until the recesses 25 and 22, respectively, in the slide and guide members are registered or in alinement. When these recesses are registered the supporting arm |5 becomes free to fall andf'thus permits the pin I5 to drop into a transversechannel formed by these recesses (see Fig. 1) thereby locking the supporting arm in its elevated position. As thus positioned the weight of the lid exerts a force against the bottom and the vertical wall of the recess 22, in guide member 20, and thereby serves to fixedly secure said lid in its elevated position and the lid will remain so disposed. Furthermore, it will not be dislodged or fall as a result of slight outside disturbances.

When it becomes desirable to lower the lid it is only necessary to raise the lid a distance suflicient to pull pin l6 out of the channel formed by the registered recesses and into contact with the upstanding ear 21. Simultaneous with the engagement of'the pin l6 and the ear 21 the slide 24 moves rearwardly along the guide 20 and into the reduced longitudinally extending opening 23 in said guide (Fig. 6). Before the slide 24 reaches the end of the reduced opening 23'; in the guide 2|], the upstanding car 21 engages the downwardly extending marginal edge of the opening 2|, but, in the meantime, the movement of the slide has caused the registration or alinement of the recess 25 and 22 to be disturbed so that the pin 6 now rides on the lower marginal edge of the opening 2|, in the guide 20, instead To complete the closing operation, after this slight elevating movement, the lid is lowered, and, as it proceeds downwardly, the pin 5 rides forwardly. on the lower edge of the opening 2|, in the guide 20, until it approaches the inclined plane or ramp surface 29, on the upper side of the slide member 24, whereupon it climbs said ramp and bridges the guide recess 22. Further downward movement of the lid then causes the pin to slide forwardly along the upper transverse portion 3|a of said slide member and ultimately contact the upstanding ear 28, on said slide; thus. forcing slide member 24 to move along through the guide member for a distance far enough to permit complete closure of the lid. Figs. 2, 6 and 9 show the relative location of the component parts of the invention throughout the closing operation.

In Figs. 11 to 15, inclusive, there is illustrated an efiective modification of the present invention. In these figures like parts have been numbered to correspond with similar partsin preceding figures. In this adaptation of the present invention, the lid l3, bracket l4, supporting arm I5, and pin member I6, together .with its associated parts l1, l8 and I9, are identical with similar elements heretofore described.

In the present modification a stationary guide member 32 is provided with a recess 33 and a stop-ear 34, and may be afiixed to the side wall of the cabinet or chest III in any suitable manner such as previously mentioned.

A modified form of sliding bracket 35, illustrated in detail in Figs. 13 to 15, inclusive, is adapted for slidable movement along the guide member 32. Such bracket may be fashioned with two spaced apart channel portions 36 and 31 integrally connected together througha central member 38. The channels 36 and 31 preferably are shaped to correspond with the transverse section of the guide member 32 and are adapted for positioning around this member for movement therealong. The central connecting member 38 has an extension 39 thereon, extending from one side of said bracket, and is further provided with an irregular-shaped opening 40. Said opening is fashioned to provide a longitudinal slot 4| terminating at one end in a semicircular edge portion 42, and a substantially rectangular-shaped recess 43 having a vertical edge 44, coextensive with one end of the slot 4|, another vertical edge 44a, and a lower horizontal edge 45. The lower horizontal edge 46, of the slot 4|, is substantially alined with the upper horizontal edge 41 of the guide member 32.

In operation the modified form of the invention functions substantially identically with that heretofore described. As the chest lid |3 is raised, the supporting arm I 5, acting through its affixed p-in member I5, engages the vertical wall 44, of the slotted opening 4|, in the slide member 35 and slides said member rearwardly along the stationary guide member 32 until the recess 33 therein and. the recessed portion 43 of the opening 40 are registered or in alinement. Upon such registration the supporting arm l5 becomes free to fall and thus permits the pin I6 to drop into a transverse channel formed by these alined openings (see Fig. 11) thereby locking the supporting arm in its elevated position.

When it is desired to lower the lid, it is only necessary to raise the lid a distance suflicient to pull the pin l6 out of the channel formed by the alined recesses and into contact with the vertical edge 44 of the opening in the slide member 35. Upon engagement of the pin I6 with the upper portion of said edge 44, the slide bracket 35 will slide rearwardly along the guide 32 until it is stopped by contact and abutment with the stop-ear 34. When this position has been reached, it will be appreciated, the registration of the recesses 33 and 43 will have been disturbed, and the pin 6 will then ride or rest on the upper edge 41 of the guide 32. To complete the closing operation the lid is then lowered, and, as it proceeds downwardly, the pin l6 slides forwardly along said upper edge 41 of the guide 32 and rides or bridges over the recessed opening 43 in the slide until it approaches the lower horizontal edge 46 of the longitudinal slot 4| in said guide. Since the lower edge 46 of this slotted portion substantially corresponds with the elevation of the upper edge 41, of the guide 32, the pin l6 will freely ride along this edge and thus bridge the guide recess 33. Further downward movement of the lid then causes the pin to continue to slide along the upper edge of said guide 32 until it contacts the forward edge 42 of the slot IS in the slide, whereupon it will then force said slide to move along the guide a distance sufficient to permit complete closure of the lid |3. Fig. 12 shows the relative locations of the component parts of the modified form of the invention throughout most of the closing operation.

It will be apparent from the above description that a simple, unique, inexpensive and highly effective combination latchin and supporting de vice has been provided which is readily adaptable to all forms of top-opening chests orcabinets where the angle of opening of the lid is less than Although only preferred forms of the invention have been illustrated, and those forms described in detail, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A lid support comprising, a longitudinally slotted guide member in which the edges of the slot are parallel throughout and having a recess connecting with and extending from one edge of said slot, a sliding bracket supported on one edge of said longitudinal slot and adapted for slidable movement therewithin, said bracket having a recess therein adaptable for registering with the recess in said guide and being further provided with a pair of upstanding ears, a rigid arm having a pin member affixed proximate one end thereof and having said pin further disposed in said longitudinal slot and above said bracket, said pin being adapted for engaging one of said ears to move said bracket rearwardly within the longitudinal slot to register said recesses and permit said pin to transversely engage said recesses for holding the lid when in an opened position and for engaging the other of said ears to move said bracket forwardly to permit closure of the lid after he pin has been removed from the registered recesses.

2. In combination with a closure and hinged cover, guide means including a longitudinally slotted portion having a recess in communication with one edge of said slot, a sliding bracket supported on one edge of said slotted portion and adapted for slidable movement within and along said slotted portion, said bracket having spaced apart ears projecting upwardly therefrom and further provided with a recess in one side thereof adaptable for registering with the recess in said slotted portion, a rigid supporting arm pivotally secured to the cover and provided with a pin member securely afiixed proximate one end thereof, said pin being disposed transversely within said slot above said bracket and between said upwardly projecting ears, and having said pin adapted for engaging said ears to move said bracket longitudinally within the slot and being further adapted for transversely engaging said recesses when in register for securely holding the supporting arm against forward and rearward movement with respect to said slotted portion.

3. In combination with a closure and hinged cover, guide means including a longitudinally slotted portion having a recess in communication with one edge o1": said slot, a channel-shaped bracket having one long and one short side with a transverse connecting portion therebetween, said bracket having spaced apart extensions projecting upwardly from the transverse portion and further provided with a recess in the long side thereof corresponding substantially in dimensions with the recess of said slotted portion, said bracket being adapted for positioning within said longitudinal slot so as to straddle a lower longitudinal edge thereof and being further adapted for slidable movement therewithin so that the recess therein may be registered with the recess in said slotted portion, a rigid supporting arm pivotally secured to the cover and provided with a pin member securely arhxed proximate one end thereof, said pin being disposed transversely within said slot above said bracket and between said upwardly projecting extensions, and having said pin adapted for engaging said extensions to move said bracket longitudinally within said slot and being further adapted for transversely engaging said recesses when in register for securely holding the supporting arm against forward and rearward movement with respect to said slotted portion.

4. In combination with a closure and hinged cover, guide means including a longitudinally slotted member having a recess in communication with one edge of said slot, means for securing said slotted member to the closure, a channelshaped bracket having one long and one short side with transverse connecting portion there-between, said bracket having spaced apart extensions projecting upwardly from the transverse portion and further provided with a recess in the long side thereof corresponding substantially in dimensions with the recess of said guide, said bracket being adapted for positioning within said longitudinal slot so as to straddle a lower longitudinal edge thereof and being further adapted for slidable movement therewithin so that the recess therein may be registered with the recess in said slotted member, a rigid supporting arm pivotally secured to the cover and provided with a pin member securely afiixed proximate one end thereof, said pin being disposed transversely within said slot and above said bracket and between said upwardly extendingprojections and adapted for engaging said projections to move said bracket within said slot and being further adapted for transversely engaging said recesses when in register for securely holding the supporting arm against longitudinal movement with respect to the slotted guide member, and having said bracket slidable beyond the recess in said slotted member until the recesses are out of register and the transverse connecting portion of the bracket provides a continuous horizontal surface upon which the pin may ride whereby said pin may pass over the recess in said slotted member as the pin and bracket move along the slotted member with the opening and closing of the cover.

5. In combination with a closure and hinged cover, guide means including a longitudinally slotted member having a recess connecting with and extending from one side of said slot, means for securing said slotted member to the closure, a channel-shaped bracket having one long and one short side with transverse connecting portion therebetween, said bracket having spaced apart projections projecting upwardly from the transverse portion and provided with a recess in the long side thereof substantially corresponding in dimensions with the recess in said guide, said bracket being adapted for positioning within said longitudinal slot so as to straddle a lower longitudinal edge thereof and further adapted for slidable movement therealong so that the recess therein may be registered with the recess in said slotted member, a rigid supporting arm pivotally secured to the cover and provided with a pin member securely afnxed proximate one end thereof, said pin being disposed transversely within said slot and above said bracket and between said upwardly extending projections, and having said pin adapted for engaging said projections to move said bracket rearwardly within the longitudinal slot to register said recesses and permit said pin to transversely engage said recesses for holding the cover when in an opened position and for moving said bracket forwardly to permit closure of the cover after the pin has been removed from the registered recesses, and having said bracket member slidable beyond the recess in said slotted member until the recesses are out of register whereby the transverse portion of the bracket covers the recess in the slotted member and provides a continuous horizontally extending portion upon which the pin may ride when said pin is moved along the slotted member.

6. A lid support comprising, a guide means including a longitudinally slotted guide member in which the edges of the slot are parallel throughout and provided with a recess in communication with one edge of said slot, a substantially L shaped bracket having one long side that is formed in two spaced-apart sections and having a plurality of transverse portions connecting the long side with the two sections of the short side, said bracket being further provided with spaced apart extensions projecting upwardly from said transverse portions and having a recess in the long side thereof disposed between said transverse portions, said bracket being adapted for positioning within said longitudinal slot so as to straddle a lower longitudinal edge thereof and being further adapted for slidable movement therealong so that the recess therein is registrable with the recess in said slotted member, a rigid supporting arm pivotally secured to a lid and provided with a pin member securely afiixed proximate one end thereof, said pin being transversely disposed within said slot and above the transverse portions of 10 said bracket and between said upwardly projecting extensions and adapted for engaging said extensions for moving said bracket within and along said slot, said pin being further adapted for transversely engaging said recesses when in register for securely holding the supporting arm against longitudinal movement with respect to the slotted member, said bracket being slidable beyond the recess in the slotted member until the recesses are out of register and one of the transverse connecting portions of the bracket provides a continuous horizontal surface upon which the pin may ride and pass over the recess in said slotted member as the pin and bracket move along through the slot with the raising and lowering of the lid.

JOHN CALLING.

REFERENCES CITED FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Oct. 17, 1929 Number 

